Sports boot including a riveted and adhesively-bonded flap

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a sports boot comprising two elements assembled by adhesive bonding and riveting or by adhesive bonding and stitching. This boot is noteworthy in that one of the elements covers over the assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sports boots. Itrelates in particular to a sports boot, the upper of which comprises twoelements assembled by adhesive bonding and a mechanical means or byadhesive bonding and stitching.

PRIOR ART

[0002] In order to produce increasingly comfortable ski boots, to makethem use is made of materials with different characteristics,particularly different stiffness characteristics. This therefore posesthe problem of assembling these elements that consist of differentmaterials. To produce certain boots, bi-injection-moulding processes areemployed, which makes it possible to construct shells with zones ofdifferent stiffness.

[0003] Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,483,638, the content of which isincorporated by reference, discloses a process for manufacturing skiboots in which two flaps arranged over the top of the upper partiallycover over one another and have buckles and tensioning devices,respectively. The manufacturing process consists in the boot vamp beingopen, in the buckles and tensioning devices being, respectively,fastened over each of the flaps, and then in the flaps, which arepreferably made from an elastic plastics material, being attached to theedges of the vamp by stitching, for example.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,546, the content of which is incorporated byreference, discloses a sports boot that includes a sole from which anupper that covers the foot extends. The upper is composed of two parts.The first part is produced in a relatively rigid material, constitutinga cradle forming a rear casing for housing the user's heel and in asingle piece with the sole in the heel zone. The second part of theupper is produced in a relatively flexible material, constituting a bandfor covering over the front of the user's foot and for attachingsecurely to the front part of the sole on the one hand and to the edgesof the rear casing. The patent describes, as linking means between theband and the sole, rivets, adhesive bonding, welding or, alternatively,stitching.

[0005] However, these processes present drawbacks in that the assemblymethods that use adhesive bonding are relatively poorly resistant tomechanical stresses. They are particularly sensitive when theadhesive-bonding joint undergoes peeling stresses, i.e. when tensilestresses are applied to it. Assembly methods using rivets are notwatertight and are unattractive. Assembly methods using welding andassembly methods using stitching cannot be applied to all the materials.Assembly methods using stitching are neither attractive nor watertight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The object of the invention is to produce a sports boot that hasan assembly that mitigates these drawbacks. In particular, the inventionproposes producing a boot that has two elements linked by a strong,leaktight, and attractive assembly method. The assembly method must alsoallow the linking of materials of different types.

[0007] The sports boot according to the invention is noteworthy in thata part of one of the elements of the upper permanently covers over theassembly.

[0008] According to one embodiment, one of the elements covers over theassembly by folding over on itself.

[0009] In this case, the element covering over the assembly may beadhesively bonded onto itself.

[0010] The assembly process that makes it possible to obtain such a bootis noteworthy in that it comprises the stages:

[0011] assembling the two elements by adhesive bonding and a mechanicalmeans or by adhesive bonding and stitching;

[0012] folding one of the elements over itself in order to cover overthe assembly.

[0013] According to one embodiment, a lip on the first element coversover the assembly and is adhesively bonded onto the second element.

[0014] The assembly process that makes it possible to obtain such a bootis noteworthy in that it comprises the following stages:

[0015] assembling the two elements by a mechanical means or bystitching;

[0016] covering over the assembly with a lip on the first element;

[0017] adhesively bonding the lip to the second element.

[0018] According to the embodiments, the two elements are a shell and aflap.

[0019] According to the embodiments, the first element is a shell andthe second is a flap.

[0020] According to the embodiments, the first element is a flap and thesecond is a shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The appended drawing shows, by way of example, three embodimentsof a boot according to the invention.

[0022]FIG. 1 is a side view of a ski boot that has a shell equipped withflexible flaps on the top of the upper.

[0023]FIG. 2 is a section on the plane A-A in the front part of a bootwith flaps produced according to a first embodiment.

[0024]FIG. 3 is a section on plane A-A in the front part of a boot withflaps produced according to a variant of the first embodiment.

[0025]FIG. 4 is a section on plane A-A in the front part of a boot withflaps produced according to a second embodiment.

[0026]FIG. 5 is a section on plane A-A in the front part of a boot withflaps produced according to a third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The ski boot 20 shown in FIG. 1 consists essentially of a shell4, a collar 5 articulated on the shell 4 in the ankle region at a point6 and at an opposite point located on the other side of the boot 20.This shell 4 and this collar 5 receive a comfort liner 7. The shell 4,preferably made from polyurethane, constitutes a cradle for the comfortliner 7. This shell 4 comprises a sole 11 that has a rear curb 14 and afront curb 15. The sole 11 is equipped, in a known manner, with a heelplate 12 and a front plate 13, both produced from hard rubber. Thecollar 5 is equipped with two buckles 8 and 9, and the shell 4 with abuckle 10 that comprises a strap 16 in the shape of a Z. The upper zoneof the shell extending from the instep to the toes consists of two flaps1 and 2 produced from a flexible material, such as leather.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, these two flaps 1 and 2 partially coverone another over. The flap 2 has, on its outer face, a first beading 29extending continuously along the flap 2, approximately following thecontour of the edge of the flap 2, and a second beading 28 distant fromthe beading 29 but arranged so as to be covered over by the flap 1 whenthe boot 20 is closed. Watertightness is guaranteed by the deformationsof the beadings 28, 29 and of the flaps 1, 2 that make it possible,between these elements, to form continuous contact curves when thebuckle 10 is fastened. The flaps 1 and 2 are covered in the front partof the boot 20 with a cap 3 that enhances watertightness. The front partof the flap 1 is partially covered over by the cap 3 and the front partof the flap 2 is completely covered over by the cap 3. 5 The flaps 1 and2 are fastened onto the shell 4 by rivets 31, 32. The watertightness ofthe assembly is guaranteed by adhesive bonding of the flaps 1 and 2 ontothe shell 4.

[0029] The section in plane A-A in the front part of a ski boot producedaccording to a first embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. The comfort liner isnot shown in this view. In order to produce such a boot, the edge of theflap 2 equipped with a lip 42 is arranged on a shoulder 46 formed on theoutside of the shell 4. The flap 2 is assembled onto the shell 4 usingrivets 32. The rivets 32 are put in place from the outside of the boot,the lip 42 of the flap 2 being raised in order to allow the passage ofthe rivets 32 and of the head of a riveting tool. The lip 42 is thenfolded down over the assembly and its end is adhesively bonded onto ashoulder 44 produced on the outside of the shell 4.

[0030] The flap 1 is then assembled onto the shell 4. The edge of theflap 1 equipped with a lip 41 is arranged on a shoulder 45 formed on theoutside of the shell 4. The flap 1 is assembled onto the shell 4 usingrivets 31. The rivets 31 are put in place from the outside of the boot,the lip 41 of the flap 1 being raised in order to allow the passage ofthe rivets 31 and of the head of a riveting tool. The lip 41 is thenfolded over the assembly and its end is adhesively bonded onto ashoulder 43 formed on the outside of the shell 4 so as to permanentlycover over the rivets 31. This obtains an assembly that offers goodmechanical strength, is watertight, and is attractive.

[0031] The section in plane A-A in the front part of a ski boot producedaccording to a variant of the first embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. Thecomfort liner is not shown in this view. In order to produce such avariant, the edge of the flap 2 equipped with a lip 52 is arranged on ashoulder 56 formed on the inside of the shell 4. The flap 2 is assembledonto the shell 4 using rivets 32.

[0032] The rivets 32 are put in place from the outside of the boot, thelip 52 of the flap 2 being raised in order to allow the passage of therivets 32 and of the head of a riveting tool. The lip 52 is then foldeddown over the assembly and its end is adhesively bonded onto a shoulder54 formed on the outside of the shell 4. The flap 1 is then assembledonto the shell 4. The edge of the flap 1 equipped with a lip 51 isarranged over a shoulder 55 formed on the inside of the shell 4. Theflap 1 is assembled onto the shell 4 using rivets 31. The rivets 31 areput in place from the outside of the boot, the lip 51 of the flap 1being raised in order to allow the passage of the rivets 31 and the headof a riveting tool. The lip 51 is then folded down over the assembly andits end is adhesively bonded over a shoulder 53 formed on the outside ofthe shell 4.

[0033] The section in plane A-A in the front part of a ski boot producedaccording to a second embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. The comfort lineris not shown in this view. The end of the flap 2 is fastened by rivets32 on a shoulder 64 of the shell 4. To do this, the flap 2 is folded outand allows the passage of the rivets 32 and the passage of the head of ariveting tool. The flap 2 is simultaneously adhesively bonded over thepart 62 of the shell 4, bonding adhesive having previously been arrangedon the part 62 of the shell 4 and over the zone of the flap 2 that isdesigned to come into contact with this part 62. The flap 2 is thenfolded over on itself so as to conceal the rivets 32. The flap 1 is thenassembled onto the shell 4. The end of the flap 1 is fastened by rivets31 on a shoulder 63 of the shell 4. To do this, the flap 1 is folded outand allows the passage of the rivets 31 and the passage of the head of ariveting tool. The flap 1 is simultaneously adhesively bonded over thepart 61 of the shell 4, bonding adhesive having previously been arrangedon the part 61 of the shell 4 and over the zone of the flap 1 that isdesigned to come into contact with this part 61. The flap 1 is thenfolded over on itself so as to conceal the rivets 31. This obtains anassembly that offers good mechanical strength, is watertight, and isattractive.

[0034] It should be noted that, after having been folded over onthemselves, the flaps 1, 2 may be adhesively bonded onto themselves inorder to prevent them folding out.

[0035] A section through the boot according to a third embodiment isshown in FIG. 5. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment inthat the lips 48, 49 consist of flexible parts of the shell 4 coveringover the assembly and adhesively bonding to the flaps 1, 2.

[0036] In all the above embodiments, use is made of rivets to assemblethe flaps onto the shell. Nevertheless, these rivets may be replaced byother mechanical means, such as staples or even by stitching. Thesemeans depend in particular on the materials used to produce the twoelements to be assembled.

[0037] Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have beenshown and described, a wide range of modification, change andsubstitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in someinstances, some features of the present invention may be employedwithout a corresponding use of the other features. Accordingly, it isappropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in amanner consistent with the scope of the invention.

What is claimed:
 1. A sports boot, the upper of which comprises twoelements assembled by an assembly means such as by bonding and amechanical means or by adhesive bonding and stitching, wherein a part ofone of the elements permanently covers the assembly means.
 2. The sportsboot as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the elements extends over theassembly means by folding over on itself.
 3. The sports boot as claimedin claim 2, wherein the element covering the assembly means isadhesively bonded onto itself.
 4. The sports boot as claimed in claim 1,wherein a lip on the first element covers the assembly means and isadhesively bonded onto the second element.
 5. The sports boot as claimedin one of the preceding claims, wherein the two elements are a shell anda flap.
 6. The sports boot as claimed in claim 5, wherein the firstelement is a shell and the second is a flap.
 7. The sports boot asclaimed in claim 5, wherein the first element is a flap and the secondis a shell.
 8. An assembly process for obtaining a boot as claimed inclaim 2, which comprises the stages: assembling the two elements byadhesive bonding and a mechanical means or by adhesive bonding andstitching; folding one of the elements over itself in order to cover theassembly means.
 9. The assembly process for obtaining a boot as claimedin claim 3, which comprises the following stages: assembling the twoelements by a mechanical means or by stitching; covering the assemblymeans with a lip on the first element; adhesively bonding the lip to thesecond element.